US4241342A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Measurement indicating apparatus and method
Assignee: Warner and Swasey Co
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Filing: 1979-03-01
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Granted: 1980-12-23
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Expires: 1999-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A measurement display apparatus and method of generating the display which has improved stability. The display includes plurality of discrete indicators and includes a buffer and a sensor, with a convertor and logic intercoupling the sensor and the buffer. The convertor generates a digital representation of the measurement sensed by the sensor including more significant digits and less significant digits. The less significant digits which are adjacent to transitions of the more significant digits are sensed by the logic and used to inhibit an updating of the buffer when the less significant digits are adjacent to a transition of the more significant digits (i.e., one count more or less in the digital representation causes a change in the more significant digits).
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth A. Merriweather
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 10:34
CPC Classifications
G; G04; G04G; G04G9/00; G01; G01B; G01B7/00; G01D; G01D7/00; G01R; G01R13/00; G01R13/02; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/14; G06F3/1407
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of periodically generating a display of a measurement comprising the steps of: periodically generating an analog signal indicative of the measurement; converting the analog signal into a digital representation, said representation including a portion of greater significance and a portion of lesser significance; displaying on a display the greater significance portion of the digital representation; and inhibiting a change in the display in response to predetermined values of the lesser significance portion of the digital representation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of periodically generating a display of a measurement comprising the steps of: periodically generating an analog signal indicative of the measurement; converting the analog signal into a digital representation, said representation including a portion of greater significance and a portion of lesser significance; displaying on a display the greater significance portion of the digital representation; and inhibiting a change in the display in response to predetermined values of the lesser significance portion of the digital representation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method of generating a display of a measurement of the type described in claim 1 wherein the step of inhibiting the display change includes sensing a state of the lesser significance portion, which state is adjacent to a change in the greater significance portion.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
182 words
An apparatus for displaying a part measurement comprising: a transducer for engaging the part to be measured; means coupled to the transducer for periodically generating an analog signal representative of the part measurement; a converter coupled to the analog signal generating means for receiving the analog signal and translating the analog signal into a digital output having a first and second portions, the first portion being of greater significance and the second portion being of lesser significance; a display having a plurality of discrete states, each corresponding to a value of the part measurement; and means for reducing oscillations of the display between two adjacent states including means for selectively transmitting the digital output to the display, said oscillation-reducing means including: means for generating an enable signal when the second portion of the digital output is in a predetermined state; and transmitting means coupled to said display and said converter and responsive to said enable signal, said transmitting means for selectively transmitting the first portion of said digital output from said converter to said display only when the enable signal is present.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
182 words
An apparatus for displaying a part measurement comprising: a transducer for engaging the part to be measured; means coupled to the transducer for periodically generating an analog signal representative of the part measurement; a converter coupled to the analog signal generating means for receiving the analog signal and translating the analog signal into a digital output having a first and second portions, the first portion being of greater significance and the second portion being of lesser significance; a display having a plurality of discrete states, each corresponding to a value of the part measurement; and means for reducing oscillations of the display between two adjacent states including means for selectively transmitting the digital output to the display, said oscillation-reducing means including: means for generating an enable signal when the second portion of the digital output is in a predetermined state; and transmitting means coupled to said display and said converter and responsive to said enable signal, said transmitting means for selectively transmitting the first portion of said digital output from said converter to said display only when the enable signal is present.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A display apparatus of the type described in claim 3 wherein the means for periodically generating an analog signal includes a means for limiting the change in analog signals between successively generated analog signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A display apparatus of the type described in claim 4 wherein the transmitting means comprises a buffer storage including a clock input for receiving clock pulses and a plurality of D-type flip flops, each flip flop having an input and an output and passing an input signal at one clock pulse to the output at the next clock pulse.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A display apparatus of the type described in claim 3 wherein the portion of lesser significance includes two digits and the means for generating the enable signal comprises means for generating an enable signal only when the two digits of lesser significance are unequal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
A display apparatus of the type described in claim 3 wherein the apparatus further includes means for sensing the more significant portion and for generating an overriding signal, said overriding signal being coupled to said transmitting means to couple the first portion of the digital output from said converter to said display without regard to the enable signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of generating a display of a measurement comprising the steps of: developing a sequence of analog signals representing the measurement; converting each analog signal to a digital signal having a more significant portion and a less significant portion; coupling the more significant portion of the digital signal to the display; analyzing the less significant portion and generating an inhibit signal when an increment to, or decrement from, the lesser digital signal portion would cause a change in the more significant portion; and decoupling the digital signal from the display in response to the presence of the inhibit signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of generating a display of a measurement comprising the steps of: developing a sequence of analog signals representing the measurement; converting each analog signal to a digital signal having a more significant portion and a less significant portion; coupling the more significant portion of the digital signal to the display; analyzing the less significant portion and generating an inhibit signal when an increment to, or decrement from, the lesser digital signal portion would cause a change in the more significant portion; and decoupling the digital signal from the display in response to the presence of the inhibit signal.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for displaying a measurement of a part comprising: a measuring sensor for generating an analog signal indicative of the measurement of the part; a converter coupled to the measurement sensor for receiving the analog signal and converting it to a digital signal, said converter additionally including means for separating said digital signal into a more significant portion including more significant digits and a less significant portion including digits which are less significant than the more significant digits; a storage buffer having a data input, a data output, and a clock input, said data input being coupled to the converter for receiving the more significant digits with said storage buffer transmitting data from the data inut to the data output in response to a clock signal on the clock input; logic coupled to the clock input of the storage buffer and the less significant digits, said logic for generating or inhibiting the clock signal on the clock input in response to the less significant portion; and a dislay including a plurality of discrete display elements, each of said plurality indicative of a different value of the more significant portion of the digital signal, said display being coupled to the data output of the storage buffer to energize at least one display element in response to the data output.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for displaying a measurement of a part comprising: a measuring sensor for generating an analog signal indicative of the measurement of the part; a converter coupled to the measurement sensor for receiving the analog signal and converting it to a digital signal, said converter additionally including means for separating said digital signal into a more significant portion including more significant digits and a less significant portion including digits which are less significant than the more significant digits; a storage buffer having a data input, a data output, and a clock input, said data input being coupled to the converter for receiving the more significant digits with said storage buffer transmitting data from the data inut to the data output in response to a clock signal on the clock input; logic coupled to the clock input of the storage buffer and the less significant digits, said logic for generating or inhibiting the clock signal on the clock input in response to the less significant portion; and a dislay including a plurality of discrete display elements, each of said plurality indicative of a different value of the more significant portion of the digital signal, said display being coupled to the data output of the storage buffer to energize at least one display element in response to the data output.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-12-23 | 1984-06-23 | 1984-12-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-23 | 1988-06-23 | 1988-12-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-23 | 1992-06-23 | 1992-12-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |